Electric connection box

The present invention relates to an electrical junction box, and in particular, improves the support structure of an ECU (electronic control unit) housed inside a case.

Conventionally, the applicant has provided an electrical connection box containing an ECU (electronic control unit) inside a case in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-84630 (Patent Document 1) and the like. As shown in FIG. 7, the electrical junction box 1 provided in JP-A-2002-84630 has a bus bar 4 formed by punching a conductive metal plate and an insulating plate 5 stacked inside a case composed of an upper case 2 and a lower case 3. The ECU 7 is accommodated by interposing an insulating plate 6 between the bus bars 4 and the bus bars 4.

However, if the insulating plate 6 is provided between the ECU 7 and the bus bar 4 or other electric parts, there is a problem that the number of parts increases and the electric junction box 1 becomes large and heavy.

In particular, when the electric junction box is mounted inside the instrument panel in front of the front seat of the automobile at a position facing the occupant's knee, a space is left between the panel and the electric junction box and the occupant suddenly brakes. It is desired that the panel is sufficiently dented to reduce the impact on the occupant when the panel collides with the panel due to the above. However, since the electrical junction box cannot be made sufficiently thin, a sufficient space cannot be provided between the electric junction box and the panel, and the panel may not be sufficiently recessed and the occupant may receive a large impact.<patcit num="1"><text>JP-A-2002-84630</text></patcit>

<p> The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and is configured to be insulated by air insulation without interposing an insulating plate between the ECU housed inside the case of the electrical junction box and other electrical components, internal circuits, or the like. By doing so, it is an object to reduce the number of parts and to reduce the thickness and weight of the electric junction box.</p>

<p> In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, at least one of a connector module, a fuse module, and a relay module is arranged so as to face the outside between the lower case and the upper case which are arranged to face each other, and the upper case of the module is arranged. While the side end faces are provided with protrusions for mounting the ECU board, the facing end faces of the ECU boards are provided with mounting portions that engage with and are fixed to the protrusions, and the ECU board is supported by the module. The electric junction box is provided, which is characterized in that it is arranged inside the lower case and the upper case.</p><p> According to the above configuration, the ECU housed in the case is supported by at least one of the connector module, the fuse module, and the relay module and is placed at the required height position, so that the ECU is housed in the case. It is possible to provide a required space between the electric components and internal circuits to insulate the air, and it is possible to eliminate the need for an insulating plate that has been conventionally required. As a result, the number of parts and the cost can be reduced, and the electric junction box can be made thinner and lighter. In addition, the ECU can be easily mounted by engaging the mounting portion provided on the ECU board with the protrusion for mounting the ECU board provided on the upper case side end surface of at least one of the connector module, the fuse module, and the relay module. Can be fixed inside the case.</p><p> An ECU connector portion protruding from a terminal connected to the conductor of the ECU is projected from the peripheral edge of the ECU board, and the ECU connector portion is fitted into a recess formed in the connector module to fit the connector module and the ECU connector. It is preferable that the portions are connected in series and are arranged so as to be exposed to the outside at the position on the side surface of the case.</p><p> According to the above configuration, since the ECU connector portion protruding from the peripheral edge of the ECU board is fitted into the recess formed in the connector module, the positioning and fixing of the ECU can be more reliably performed. Further, since the ECU connector portion is fitted in the recess of the connector module, the electric junction box can be made thinner than the case where the ECU connector portion and the connector module are stacked one above the other. Furthermore, since the ECU connector is placed on the side surface of the case so that it is exposed to the outside, the terminals inside the connector can be easily connected to the conductor of the ECU simply by fitting the required connector to the ECU connector. Since the connector is connected from the side, the fitted connector does not protrude in the vertical direction, and the electric junction box can be made thinner.</p><p> A relay module in which a large number of relays are mounted by welding to a conductor on an insulating substrate or a relay module mounted on a printed circuit board is arranged in the central portion of the lower case, and the connector module and the connector module and the relay module are arranged along the outer periphery of the relay module. An electronic component in which a fuse module is arranged, the ECU board held on the upper case side by the connector module and / and the fuse module is arranged between the relay module and the upper case, and is attached to the ECU board. Is preferably mounted on the relay module side, and the electronic component is projected into a space between a plurality of relays of the relay module.</p><p> According to the above configuration, since the connector module arranged along the outer circumference of the case and / and the relay module are arranged in the internal space surrounded by the fuse, the relay mounted on the outer surface of the case is eliminated. And the electrical junction box can be made thinner. Further, since the electronic components attached to the ECU board are mounted on the relay module side and the electronic components are projected from the insulating board of the relay module into a space between a plurality of relays, the relay module is insulated. The distance between the board and the ECU board can be reduced, and the electrical relay box can be made thinner.</p><p> An internal circuit body having an electric wire as a conductor is arranged in the lower case, the relay module is arranged above the internal circuit body, and the connector module and the fuse module are exposed to the outside so as to surround the peripheral edge of the relay module. The ECU is arranged above the relay module, the upper case is arranged above the ECU, the lower case and the upper case are formed into a substantially quadrangular shape, and a connecting frame projecting from the four corners of the lower case. It is preferable that the case is connected to the upper case via the case so that the entire case has a thin substantially square shape.</p><p> According to the above configuration, the relay module is arranged at the center position inside the case, and the fuse module and the connector module are arranged at the outer peripheral position surrounding the relay module and exposed to the outside at the side position. A relay, a fuse, and a connector accommodating portion are not provided on the lower surface of the lower case, so that the electric parts protruding from the upper and lower surfaces of the case can be eliminated, and the electric junction box can be made thinner. In particular, when the electric junction box is arranged in front of the occupant of the automobile, the thinning of the electric junction box makes it possible to provide a space between the panel and the electric junction box, so that the occupant suddenly becomes urgent. When the panel collides with the panel due to a brake or the like, the panel can be sufficiently recessed to reduce the impact on the occupant and protect the occupant. In addition, since the relay module is placed between the ECU and the internal circuit body, even if the ECU falls off from the fixed position on the upper surface of the connector module or / and the fuse module, the relay module can be used to connect the ECU and the internal circuit body. Can be insulated.</p>

<p> As described above, according to the present invention, the ECU housed in the case is supported by at least one of the connector module, the fuse module, and the relay module and arranged at the required height position. A required space can be provided between the housed other electrical components and the internal circuit to insulate the air, and the conventionally required insulating plate can be eliminated. As a result, the number of parts can be reduced, and the electric junction box can be made thinner and lighter. In addition, the ECU can be easily mounted inside the case by simply engaging the mounting portion provided on the ECU board with the protrusion for mounting the ECU board provided on the end face on the upper case side of at least one of the connector module, the fuse module, and the relay module. Can be fixed to.</p>

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 to 6 show an embodiment of the present invention. In the electric junction box 10, the internal circuit body 20 is arranged on the upper surface side of the lower case 11, and the relay module is located above the internal circuit body 20 and at the center position of the case. 30 is arranged, the fuse module 40 and the connector modules 50 and 51 are arranged at the outer peripheral position surrounding the relay module 30, the ECU (electronic control unit) 60 is arranged above the relay module 30, and the upper case 12 is further covered. Is formed.

First, the arrangement structure of the ECU (electronic control unit) 60 will be described. The connector modules 50 and 51 that support the ECU 60 from below are arranged on the right side surface and the left side surface of the electrical junction box 10, respectively, and a plurality of connector accommodating portions 52 and 53 provided in the connector modules 50 and 51, respectively. Is exposed to the outside at the side position between the lower case 11 and the upper case 12. Further, a recess 55 for fitting the ECU connector portion 63 of the ECU 60 is provided on the upper surface of one of the connector modules 50.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, protrusions 57 for mounting the ECU board are provided on both sides of the upper case side end faces of the connector modules 50 and 51, and the ECU board 61 is fixed in the vicinity of the protrusions 57. A rib 58 is projected along the periphery of the.

On the other hand, the ECU board 61 of the ECU 60 is provided with a through hole 66 as a mounting portion at a position facing the protrusion 57 of the connector modules 50 and 51, and an ECU connector is provided at a position facing the recess 55 of the connector module 50. The portion 63 protrudes from the lower peripheral edge of the ECU board 61. Therefore, when the protrusions 57 of the connector modules 50 and 51 are passed through the through holes 66 of the ECU 60, the ECU connector 63 is fitted into the recess 55 of the connector module 50, and the connector housings of the ECU connector 63 and the connector module 50 are fitted. 52 are connected in series and exposed to the outside at the side position of the case.

Further, a pressing protrusion 15 is provided at a required position on the lower surface of the upper case 12, and when the upper case 12 is placed on the upper surface side of the ECU 60, the pressing protrusion 15 moves the ECU board 61 to the connector modules 50 and 51 sides. When pressed, the protrusions 57 of the connector modules 50 and 51 penetrated through the through holes 66 of the ECU board 61 cannot be pulled out, and the ECU 60 is positioned and fixed on the connector modules 50 and 51.

As described above, with the ECU 60 positioned and fixed on the connector modules 50 and 51, the electronic component 62 attached by soldering to the conductor on the lower surface side of the ECU board 61 protrudes from the insulating board 31 of the relay module 30. It protrudes into the space between the plurality of relays 33 that are installed. The protrusions 57 provided on the connector modules 50 and 51 may be provided on the fuse module 40 provided at the outer peripheral position.

Next, the connection structure of the internal circuit body 20, the relay module 30, the fuse module 40, the connector modules 50 and 51, and the ECU 60 will be described. The conductor of the internal circuit body 20 is an electric wire w, and the electric wire w is wired to the lower surface side of a box-shaped case 21 having a lower surface opening and housed inside the case 21. As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of terminal holes 23, 24, and 25 are bored in the upper wall 22 of the case 21 in the vicinity of the arrangement positions of the relay module 30, the fuse module 40, and the connector modules 50 and 51. The terminal holes 23, 24, and 25 are connected to the electric wire w inside the case 21 by penetrating the bus bars 32 of the relay module 30, the fuse module 40, and the connection terminals 43 and 54 of the connector modules 50 and 51. Further, the male connector portion 26 is projected from the peripheral edge where the fuse module 40 and the connector modules 50 and 51 are not arranged, and is fitted with the female connector portion 65 of the ECU 60 to connect the electric wire w to the conductor of the ECU. At the center of the upper wall 22 of the case 21 of the internal circuit body 20, an L-shaped positioning projection 27 for positioning and fixing the four corners of the insulating plate 31 of the relay module 30 mounted on the upper surface of the upper wall 22 is required. It is projected in 4 places. An insulating plate 28 is arranged on the lower surface side of the internal circuit body 20.

The relay module 30 is arranged at the upper part of the internal circuit body 20 and at the center position of the case, and a bus bar 32 formed by punching a conductive metal plate into a required shape is fixed to the upper surface of the insulating plate 31. The terminal portion of the relay 33 is welded to the bus bar 32 to fix the relay 33 to the insulating plate 31.

Power is supplied to the relay module 30 via the input side bus bar 32a shown in FIG. One end of the input-side bus bar 32a projects 32a-1 into a connector accommodating portion 56 which is a power input portion of the connector module 50, and is connected to a terminal in the power connector. The input terminal portion of the relay 33 is connected to the other end of the input side bus bar 32a by welding. On the other hand, on the output side of the relay module 30, the output side bus bar 32b connected to the fuse 44 of the fuse module 40 protrudes sideways from the insulating plate 31, and the pressure welding tab 32b-1 at the tip is the fuse accommodating portion of the fuse module 40. The output side bus bar 32c, which is not connected to the fuse 44, is projected downward from the insulating plate 31 and is provided in the case 21 of the internal circuit body 20 while being pressed into the terminal portion on the input side of the fuse 44. It penetrates 23 and is pressed against the electric wire w of the internal circuit. The relay module 30 may have a plurality of relays mounted on a printed circuit board.

The fuse module 40 is arranged on the front side surface (lower side in FIG. 3) of the electric junction box 10, and has two upper and lower fuse accommodating portions 41 arranged side by side in the horizontal direction. Is exposed to the outside at the side position between the lower case 11 and the upper case 12. The upper and lower fuse accommodating portions 41 are arranged in a staggered manner with their positions shifted in the horizontal direction.

As shown in FIG. 4, the bus bar 42 connected to the terminal portion on the input side of the fuse 44 housed in the fuse accommodating portion 41 is provided with a pressure welding tab 42a at one end to press contact with the terminal portion of the fuse 44, while the other end. The connection portion 42b is projected toward the connector module 50 arranged on the right side surface of the electrical junction box 10, and the connection portion 42b is connected to the connection portion 32a-2 branched from the input side bus bar 32a of the relay module 30 by resistance welding. And the welded portion 45 is formed. Therefore, when the power connector is fitted to the connector accommodating portion 56 which is the power input portion of the connector module 50, power is supplied to the fuse module 40 together with the relay module 30. Further, the fuse 44, which does not connect the input side terminal to the bus bar 42, connects the input side terminal portion to the pressure welding tab 32b-1 of the output side bus bar 32b protruding from the relay module 30. As shown in FIG. 5, an L-shaped connection terminal 43 having pressure welding portions at both ends is connected to the terminal portion on the output side of the fuse 44, and the pressure welding portion 43a at one end is inside the fuse accommodating portion 41. While the other end side is bent downward and penetrated through the terminal hole 24 provided in the case 21 of the internal circuit body 20, the other end pressure welding portion 43b is pressed against the electric wire w. are doing.

As described above, the connector modules 50 and 51 expose a plurality of connector accommodating portions 52 and 53 provided in the connector modules 50 and 51 to the outside at side positions between the lower case 11 and the upper case 12. Further, the connector module 50 arranged on the right side surface is provided with a connector accommodating portion 56 serving as a power input portion, and is exposed to the outside at a side surface position.

The connection terminals 54 that connect to the terminals in the mating connector that fit into the connector housings 52 and 53 are all L-shaped, and one end is a male tab 54a that protrudes into the connector housings 52 and 53 and is inside the mating connector. While connecting to the terminal of, the other end side is bent downward to extend, penetrate through the terminal hole 25 provided in the case 21 of the internal circuit body 20, and the pressure contact portion 54b at the tip is pressure-welded to the electric wire w of the internal circuit. are doing.

FIG. 6 shows a circuit diagram formed by the internal circuit body 20, the relay module 30, the fuse module 40, and the connector modules 50 and 51. The power supply circuit 70 that supplies power to the load side is connected to the connector modules 50 and 51 from the power supply input unit via the relay module 30, the fuse module 40, and the internal circuit body 20. The control circuit 71 that controls the power supply circuit 70 is connected to the connector modules 50 and 51 from the power supply input unit via the relay module 30 and the internal circuit body 20. Further, the other circuit 72 is connected to the power input portion by a welded portion 45 without passing through the relay 33 of the relay module 30, and is directly connected to the connector modules 50 and 51 via the fuse module 40 and the internal circuit body 20. There is.

As shown in FIG. 1, the ECU 60 has a female connector portion 65 projecting along the lower peripheral edge of the ECU board 61 on the rear surface side of the electrical junction box 10 and fitted with the male connector portion 26 of the internal circuit body 20. Then, the terminals in each connector are connected to each other, the electric wire w of the internal circuit and the conductor of the ECU 60 are connected, and power is supplied to the ECU 60. Further, the ECU connector portion 63 projects the other end of the connection terminal 64 having one end connected to the conductor of the ECU 60, and is connected to the terminal in the mating connector fitted to the ECU connector portion 63.

The lower case 11 projects a connecting frame 13 from four corners of a substantially square bottom plate, connects the substantially square upper case 12 and the connecting frame 13 via a connecting frame 13, and is connected to the front side between the lower case 11 and the upper case 12. The fuse module 40 is arranged in the right side, and the connector modules 50 and 51 are arranged orthogonally on the left and right sides. Further, while a large number of relays 33 mounted on the insulating plate 31 are mounted from above, the fuse mounting direction of the fuse module 40 and the mounting direction of the connector fitted to the connector accommodating portions of the connector modules 50 and 51 are on the side. The connecting frame 13 having an orthogonal direction from the side is L-shaped, and guide grooves 14 for guiding by sliding both sides of each module are provided at both ends.

Next, a method of manufacturing the electrical junction box 10 will be described. First, the insulating plate 28 and the internal circuit body 20 are housed in the lower case 11 from below. Next, one end 32a-1 of the input side bus bar 32a of the relay module 30 is projected into the connector accommodating portion 56 of the connector module 50, and the pressure welding tab 32b-1 of the output side bus bar 32b is projected into the fuse accommodating portion 41 of the fuse module 40. The connection part 32a-2 of the input side bus bar 32a and the connection part 42b of the bus bar 42 of the fuse module 40 are overlapped and connected by resistance welding. The relay module 30, the fuse module 40, the connector module 50, and the connector module 51 integrated in this way are arranged on the upper part of the internal circuit body 20. At this time, the connection terminal of each module and the pressure welding tab of the bus bar are penetrated through the terminal hole of the case 21 of the internal circuit body 20 to be pressure-welded to the electric wire w constituting the internal circuit. Next, an ECU is arranged on the upper part of these modules, and the female connector portion 65 is fitted with the male connector portion 26 of the internal circuit body 20 to connect the electric wire w of the internal circuit and the conductor of the ECU 60. Further, the ECU connector portion 63 is fitted into the recess 55 of the connector module 50. Finally, the upper case 12 is covered and connected to the lower case 11 via the connecting frame 13.

With the above configuration, the ECU 60 housed in the case is supported by the connector modules 50 and 51 provided on both the left and right sides of the case and arranged at the required height position, so that the relay module 30 housed in the case A required space can be provided between the two to insulate the air, and the conventionally required insulating plate can be eliminated. As a result, the number of parts can be reduced, and the electric junction box 10 can be made thinner and lighter.

In addition, the ECU 60 can be easily fixed in the case by simply passing the protrusions 57 for mounting the ECU board provided on both sides of the upper case 12 side end faces of the connector modules 50 and 51 through the through holes 66 of the ECU board 61. Can be done. Further, since the electronic component 62 attached to the ECU board 61 is projected from the insulating board 31 of the relay module 30 into the space between the plurality of relays 33, the insulating board 31 of the relay module 30 and the ECU board are projected. The distance from 61 can be reduced, and the electrical junction box 10 can be made thinner.

In particular, when the electric junction box 10 is arranged at a position in front of an automobile occupant, a space can be provided between the panel and the electric junction box 10 by making the electric junction box 10 thinner. When the occupant collides with the panel due to sudden braking or the like, the panel can be sufficiently recessed to reduce the impact on the occupant and protect the occupant. In the present embodiment, the ECU is supported from below by the connector module, but it may be supported by the fuse module or the relay module.

<figref num="1">It is an exploded perspective view of the electric junction box of embodiment of this invention.</figref><figref num="2">It is sectional drawing which shows the arrangement structure of the ECU.</figref><figref num="3">It is a top view of the internal circuit body.</figref><figref num="4">It is sectional drawing in the horizontal direction of an electric junction box.</figref><figref num="5">It is AA line sectional view of the electric junction box.</figref><figref num="6">It is a circuit diagram formed by a relay module, a fuse module, an internal circuit body and a connector module.</figref><figref num="7">It is a drawing which shows the conventional example.</figref>

Code description

10 Electrical junction box 11 Lower case 12 Upper case 15 Pressing protrusion 20 Internal circuit body 30 Relay module 33 Relay 40 Fuse module 50, 51 Connector module 55 Recess 57 Protrusion 60 ECU63 ECU connector 66 Through hole w Electric wire